The Ghanaian outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced visa-free travel for Nigerians and all African passport holders from the start of this year,
This announcement which will commence immediately marks a step towards promoting tourism, economic growth, cultural exchange, and regional integration while also simplifying travel procedures.
Akufo-Addo made this statement during his final State of the Nation address on Friday as he prepares to step down on January 6 after two terms in office.
According to him, the move is expected to boost trade, and travel in the West African nation, addressing concerns that visa restrictions have long hindered these sectors.
“I am proud to have approved visa-free travel to Ghana for all African passport holders, with effect from the beginning of this year. This is the logical next step to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the workings of the largest trading bloc in the world,” Akudo-Addo said in his speech.
“All these are essential elements to the realization of the AU’s Agenda 2063, which envisages an integrated and connected Africa by 2063,” he added, referring to the African Union’s development blueprint for 50 years,” he added.
Akufo-Addo also used his last address to trump economic progress under his leadership, citing an increase in Ghana’s gross international reserves to $8 billion, from $6.2 billion in 2017, and significant GDP growth in 2024.
“Economic growth has returned to the pre-Covid trajectory,” he said, projecting a 6.3-percent growth rate for 2025.
“I leave behind a Ghana that is thriving, one that has navigated significant global challenges with remarkable tenacity, whose economy is steadily rebounding, and whose institutions are operating effectively,” he said.
